CBSE Class 10 Social Science Sectors of the Indian Economy Important Questions Set 05

Important Questions

Question 1. Explain any three reasons for the primary sector being the largest employer in India.
Answer:
Enough jobs have not been created by the secondary and tertiary sectors.
In the tertiary sector, though production has risen almost eleven times, employment has grown only three times.
When people do not get employment elsewhere, they flock to the primary sector.

Teacher's Note:
a) Secondary and tertiary sectors haven't created enough jobs to absorb the workforce.
b) This pushes people back into the primary sector even when its own productivity isn't rising as fast.

Question 2. “The declining share of agriculture in GDP is a matter of serious concern in India.” Support the statement with reasons.
Answer:
Indian farmers face challenges from international competition.
The government has been reducing investment in the agricultural sector, especially irrigation.
Subsidy on fertilisers has decreased, raising the cost of production.
Import duties on agricultural products have been reduced.
Farmers are withdrawing investment from agriculture, causing a downturn in agricultural employment.

Teacher's Note:
a) Falling government investment, reduced subsidies and import competition are squeezing agriculture.
b) This leads farmers themselves to withdraw investment, deepening the decline.

Question 3. Agriculture has been the backbone of the Indian economy, but its share has been declining. Explain the meaning of this statement.
Answer:
About 63% of people were engaged in the agriculture sector in India in 2001.
Agriculture's share in GDP was more than 40% in 1973.
Many raw materials for the secondary sector are supplied by agriculture.
The share of agriculture in GDP declined from 44% to 24% during 1973 to 2003.
The primary sector continues to be the largest employer, but its production has not increased enough to sustain this employment.

Teacher's Note:
a) Agriculture still employs the most people, but its share of GDP has fallen sharply (44% to 24%).
b) Production hasn't kept pace with the workforce it still supports.

Question 4. Explain the term 'unemployment'. What is disguised unemployment?
Answer:
Unemployment: when a person is willing to work at the prevailing wage rate but fails to get a job, it is called unemployment.
Disguised unemployment: when more people are working than are actually required, it is called disguised unemployment; even if a few people are removed from the job, the process of production would not be affected.

Teacher's Note:
a) Unemployment = willing to work but can't find a job.
b) Disguised unemployment = too many people doing a job that needs fewer, so removing some doesn't hurt output.

Question 5. Explain any three types of unemployment found in India.
Answer:
Disguised unemployment: a situation where more persons are employed on a job than are optimally required; if part of the labour force is withdrawn and total production stays unchanged, that withdrawn labour represents disguised unemployment.
Seasonal unemployment: caused by activities that can only be pursued during specific periods — for example, demand for agricultural labour rises at sowing and harvesting time, but falls in between; it is also found in seasonal industries like ice factories.
Structural unemployment: caused by the economy failing to generate enough jobs, often due to a country's backwardness and low rate of economic development; commonly seen in underdeveloped countries — for example, a shift from thermal to solar power would curtail coal mining and cause unemployment there.

Teacher's Note:
a) Disguised, seasonal and structural unemployment each have different root causes.
b) Seasonal unemployment ties to specific periods; structural unemployment ties to an economy's overall underdevelopment.

Question 6. Explain the ways by which more employment can be created in a country like India.
Answer:
If more dams are built and canal water is provided to all small farmers, more employment can be generated in the agriculture sector.
Providing cheap credit facilities and crop insurance can result in more employment.
More money should be spent on transport and storage, since this creates more jobs.
The government/banks can provide loans at cheap rates to improve irrigation facilities.
Technical training and vocational guidance can help unemployed youth take up self-employment.

Teacher's Note:
a) Dams, credit, transport infrastructure and vocational training can all expand employment.
b) These measures target both agricultural and self-employment opportunities.

Question 7. How would income and employment increase if farmers are provided with loans, irrigation and transportation facilities?
Answer:
Loans can be used to construct a well or to buy better-quality seeds and pesticides.
Irrigation helps farmers grow a second crop after the first one, even without monsoon rains.
Transportation facilities help farmers take their produce to market to sell it.

Teacher's Note:
a) Loans improve inputs (wells, seeds); irrigation enables a second crop; transport gets produce to market.
b) Together, these three raise both farm income and the employment it supports.